Time Heals All Wounds
by lolello
Summary: Merlin, 'Court Sorcerer' of Camelot and 'First Advisor' to the king, travels ten years into the past to help his younger self cope with the magic reveal... and he's taking 'The Once and Future King' with him. *Post series 4* *Time Travel* Multi-chapter fic, WIP, first merlin fanfic :)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi everyone, so this is my first ever merlin fanfic. If any of you have read my being human fanfic, then you know that I'm terrible at updating. I promise that I will try as hard as possible to keep up with some sort of regular update, but being a first year uni student, still settling in, I can't say how often new chapters will be written. Sorry about any grammar/spelling mistakes, constructive criticism only please, oh and in case it wasn't obvious- I don't own merlin.

Enjoy and Review!

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Chapter One:

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The once and future king opened the doors of the court sorcerers chambers and was greeted with an unusual sight; a solemn looking Merlin.

That look, he thought, had no place upon his best friend's features, not for a long while. It was odd to see Merlin Emrys- court sorcerer and first advisor to the king- without a smile on his face these days. Magic had been legal for almost a decade, Albion was united, and the days in which the citadel was under attack were few and far between. But here was Merlin, quiet at his desk with his head in his hands, a frown on his face and a faraway look in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked, smirking when Merlin jumped from being caught off guard. "You've got that look".

"What look?" Merlin asked, intrigued now that he was distracted.

"The look that says your about to tell me something unpleasant" Arthur sighed.

Merlin smirked before waving the king fully into the room with a flick of his wrist.

"I need your help," Merlin began when Arthur was finally seated. "You and I need to travel somewhere and you aren't going to like it."

"Care to tell me where were headed?" Arthur enquired.

"Sorry, I can't tell you that."

"Care to explain why?"

"Sorry, can't tell you that either"

"Well what_ can_ you tell me, Merlin" Arthur asked, verging between exasperation and amusement.

"I can tell you that the fate of Albion depends on it, and I can tell you that it will be dangerous to the point of stupidity, but that we're almost guaranteed to come out of it alive."

"No change there then." Arthur quipped, his tone then becoming serious, "When do we leave?" the trust for his friend's judgement evident in his voice.

"Immediately, but I've sent someone already to inform Gwen and the knights." Merlin smiled, before rising and gesturing for Arthur to do the same.

He walked towards his work space and collected four vials, placing two of them in a hidden pocket safely in his cloak. He then handed one to Arthur, and kept the other for himself.

"We need to drink a sip of these each, it's called a 'Polyjuice potion'. It works by changing our appearance so that we go unrecognised, and then I can start the spell to transport us there."

"Okay" Arthur replied, eyeing the bottle warily, no doubt remembering the array of foul tastes that Merlin had him try during his many potion 'experiments' over the years (the worst of which once turned him purple for three days).

They simultaneously uncorked the bottles and held them to their lips, consuming a small intake of the potion. Then, after mere seconds they slowly started to change.

Merlin, Arthur noted, appeared to get shorter, though in actual fact, he himself had grown about a foot in height, while Merlin only shrunk a few inches. The short stubble that they both maintained gradually grew to short beards, and their hair changed colour so that Arthur's was shades darker settling at a dark brown, and Merlin's slightly lighter, verging on silver. Their facial featured themselves shifted, so that their noses grew shorter and more pointed, and their eyes became narrower, and their lips thinner. When it had finished, they examined each other before chuckling at their altered images.

"I'll never get tired of that" Merlin laughed joyfully, which Arthur correctly interpreted as '_I'll never get tired of magic_'.

"Me neither" Arthur agreed. "What's next?"

"Now for the transportation spell" merlin said while pulling out a piece of parchment folded neatly from the inside of his jacket.

"**Bedyrne ús! Astýre ús þanonweard!**"

Their vision blurred and they closed their eyes against the onslaught of images that seemed to pass them.

Their heads were pounding. They opened their eyes and once orientated, Arthur realised where they were.

"It worked!" Merlin cheered, a grin stretched on his face.

"Worked? We're still in Camelot! This is the just outside the lower town! Are you really so _lazy mer_lin that you needed a spell to take us here... And _hang_ on a minute! _Worked!?_ So there was a chance you could have mucked the spell up and we what... wound up as _toads_!?" Arthur exclaimed, his arms waving exaggeratedly.

"Oh, calm down you great prat, when have you ever known me to turn you into a toad... Donkey maybe, but now you're just exaggerating." Merlin smirked at Arthur's glare. "Besides, that's not the point, what do you notice?" Merlin asked, serious once more.

"I don't know, less people? It's what? Midday and its practically empty? Hang on... Midday!? It was evening just five minutes ago... What have you done?"

"You'll understand soon enough" merlin said, walking towards the town, silently urging Arthur to follow.

When they finally reached the castle, Arthur did a double take at the picture before him. In the courtyard, were King Arthur and his bumbling manservant merlin themselves, looking ten years younger and walking towards the steps entering the castle.

"What on earth... Seriously merlin, what did you do? Were what? In the past!?" Arthur started wide eyed at their young counterparts.

"Exactly. Time travel." Merlin answered, a proud tone leaking from his voice both at himself having achieved such a difficult spell with ease, and at Arthur having worked it out for himself and maintaining fairly calm... considering.

"WHAT THE _HELL_ MERLIN!" Arthur whispered furiously, keeping his voice low so to avoid startling people wandering close by.

_So much for calm_, merlin thought wryly. "We're almost ten years in the past, because a few days from now, my magic is going to be revealed and younger you will have a hissy fit," merlin replied, both having accepted what happened and long since moved on.

"A _hissy_ fit!? Really _mer_lin? Gwaine might call me 'princess' but you realise I'm not actually a little girl, don't you?" They smirked at one another.

Merlin hesitated.

"After you found out... things were obviously a little bleak, I never told you this but I was close to giving up all hope and leaving Camelot for good, but I had some visitors of the... _magical_ kind" merlin noted Arthur's solemn then turned curious expression.

"You mean to tell me that after the... _Incident_, you were visited by our future selves who were able to tell you that despite everything, it would be worth it?"

"Exactly," merlin replied "but the futures not set in stone, hence why it's dangerous. We need to convince _this_ merlin not to give up his destiny, while making sure nothing can sway Arthur's opinion on his stance against magic."

"Okay... So where do we start?" Arthur asked.

"We follow merlin."

They followed the younger Merlin and Arthur at a safe distance, until they saw the two separate, Arthur heading towards him room and merlin towards the kitchens. Their attempt to look inconspicuous however, failed. No sooner had they turned the next corner, they found themselves face to face with the younger merlin, who was stood there looking expectantly at them in the middle of the corridor.

"Why are you following me?" he asked impatiently.

Arthur looked towards his friend, quietly muttering under his breath, "how did '_you_' notice us and yet '_I_' didn't?"

"because _you're_ a prat." He whispered back without missing a beat and ignoring Arthur's returned glare, before turning once more to the younger merlin who was staring at them expectantly while doing a spectacular impression of Gaius' raised eyebrow.

"Well?" he asked.

The older merlin took a deep breath and breathed a sigh before deciding to follow on with the truth.

"We're here to help you. We need to inform you of something that will happen soon, so that you can prepare for it." Merlin replied

"Look, if you're after an audience with the king you'll have to go through the long route of speaking to the council, I'm not his messenger."

"Emrys. This is a message for you and you alone." Merlin answered, watching how his younger self paled at the use of his Druidic name.

"I don't know who you mean, but I'm not him" Merlin replied taking a step backwards, ignoring the snort that came from Arthur's disguised self.

"I'm not mistaken, and we know you have magic." Merlin continued, waiting for merlin's reaction.

If possible, he paled further before taking several more steps backwards away from the duo. Arthur hastily grabbed his forearm, trying to prevent him from running, ignoring the older Merlin's warning look.

Merlin, feeling threatened, shot out a spell, his eyes turned gold, and the duo were slammed backwards by an invisible force, and landed in heap on the floor.

He turned and ran.

"Quick! After him!" Merlin shouted from where he was sprawled on the floor. Arthur quickly got up to his feet, and faster than merlin, he chased the other man down through several corridors and stairways until he managed to tackle him and drag him by the arm into an empty room. He slammed the door behind them and turned to his young friend who was watching him warily, hand outstretched.

"_Mer_lin! You buffoon! We aren't here to hurt you! You can be such a clot pole sometimes!" Arthur barked, frustrated and forgetting that he was currently supposed to play the role of someone else.

Merlin stilled, lowering his hand, a quizzical expression emerging on his face.

"Arthur?"

Arthur looked stunned. _How did he guess who I am?_

"You see, I told you your acting was terrible, though I can see trying to fool me was a mistake, I am after all _very_ clever." a voice drifted in from the doorway. Arthur and merlin turned their heads to see the older merlin, still in disguise appear smug with his arms folded in front of him.

"Wait a minute..." the younger merlin once again finding his voice. "Will someone please explain to me what the _hell_ is going on!? You both sound like... but you can't be...that's impossible."

"It's not impossible, it's magic," merlin replied, walking into the room fully and once again closing the door behind him. He then grabbed the potions from his pocket and handed one to Arthur, both taking a small drop of the antidote for the disguise to fade.

Merlin stared, gob-smacked, as he watched their appearance change back to his and Arthur's future selves. He took in the minor subtle differences; the lines around the eyes, the clean shaven beards and the slightly greying hair. But what amazed him the most were the easy going, free and open expressions that took up both their faces, the smiles that traced their lips and the blatant trust radiating towards one another, despite the glaringly obvious fact that this Arthur must know about his magic.

"You're from the future." Merlin said, estimating approximately a decade between them.

"Correct." His future-self replied, a sympathetic smile curling the corners of his mouth. "I know this is strange, but I also know you've seen stranger, so I'm positive you can handle what we have to tell you, and once we've said all we have to say we can try and answer any questions. Though I can't promise we can give you all the answers."

"Okay." Merlin said reluctantly, his eyes dissecting the two.

Arthur ushered them over to some chairs in the corner of the room, and they made themselves comfortable, ready for what would be a very long conversation.

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A/N: So what did you all think? If I get lots of interest for this story, I'll try and put it higher on my priorities list, so please review :)

p.s. the spell used (which was formerly written as 'insert spell here') is the teleportation spell Morgause used in the fires of idirsholas

- lolello


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, so despite saying I would probably take a while to update, I decided to get the 2nd chapter out the way while the idea was fresh in my mind. Hopefully I can carry on updating fairly regularly, though this chapters slightly smaller than the last.

Thank you all for follows/fav's and reviews! I wasn't really expecting people to be that interested, but you've all been lovely, so here's more!

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Chapter Two:

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Merlin stared at the duo in front of him warily.

"So why are here, you said something is going to happen, is Camelot in danger?"

"Not in the way you think" His future-self replied "In a few days from now- sorry I can't tell you exactly when in case you try to alter the future in some way- Arthur is going to be in danger, and you're going to protect him. But this time you're going to be caught. Arthur's going to find out about your magic."

The younger Merlin paled, worry evident on his features.

"We're here, because when it happened to us, Arthur reacted badly, and I nearly walked away. I would have ran, if it hadn't been for my future-self explaining to me, that if I did, I would ruin the chance of Albion becoming united."

"If…if Arthur is going to find out in the next few days anyway… would it not simply be better to tell him now. If I tell him instead of him finding out, surely he's more likely to forgive me for the lies."

The older merlin sighed and looked towards Arthur who answered.

"Normally I would agree with you… however, the fact is that I'm going to be angry no matter how I find out. The difference is, that for me, I found out when my life was in danger and you saved me. If you're not there with me because I'm angry at you, you won't be there to protect me, and then Albion would never be."

"Then if you tell me what the danger is going to be, maybe I can prevent it before I need to reveal my magic, then I can tell him in my own time!"

Merlin looked back sadly at him. "You know that wouldn't happen. I'm sorry but without this push you wouldn't have the courage to hurt him with your betrayal, and each and every day you wait only adds to that. The fact is, you value his life more than your secret, so you will do this whether you like it or not."

Merlin's gaze dropped. "But maybe-"

"It's not worth it, don't you see? Arthur and I have already lived through this once; we know we work everything out in the end, so why change that? Why risk losing that?"

Merlin looked back at him with watery eyes, avoiding Arthurs gaze.

"Because I'm scared… no matter what you say, there's still a chance this could all go wrong, and then he'd only end up hating me."

Merlin chocked back a sob.

Arthur rose from his chair and walked towards his best friend's younger self, crouched down so that they were on eye level, and took his hands in his.

"Merlin, look at me. I could never hate you. I will admit… that It was the angriest I'd felt in a long time, but never would I come to hate you, no matter what you did, do you understand me? Even then it would have been impossible. Back then... I tried to convince myself that you meant nothing to me, but I couldn't, your too important to me."

He smiled gently at him, displaying all the warmth he held for him, before rising slowly, and ruffling the top of his head.

"Besides," He said "no one could stand your wounded puppy dog look for too long."

This earned him a watery laugh. He sat back in his seat, looking towards his own merlin who looked at him proudly.

"So it's settled then, we wait it out, and if you need to talk to someone, if you feel lost in your destiny, you come to us. Just remember that you always tried to do the right thing, be true to yourself no matter what because there was a reason behind why you did everything, and trust that I'll be able to see that eventually." Arthur finished.

They settled into a comfortable silence, before the younger Merlin spoke up again. "So… where is it you're going to be staying while you're here?"

Arthur looked expectantly towards merlin.

"Don't look at me! Do I have to think of everything?"

Arthur rolled his eyes.

"I guess you could tell Arthur that you know us when we're in disguise? You could suggest he give us a room in the castle. There's not really enough room for us to board with you and Gaius."

"Okay then, but can Gaius also know who you both really are?"

"I don't see why not." Merlin replied. "I remember that when I was in your place, Gaius knew exactly what was going on so that he could also offer support."

A question lit up younger Merlin's face.

"Arthur, do you also remember having visitors from the future, or will it only be Gaius and I who find out your identities?"

"No, I only remember having people you "knew" visiting around the time, I didn't realise who we really were."

"Which means," Older merlin began "we want to keep it that way, who knows what the knowledge of time travel will do on top of my magic being revealed...not to mention the fact that I'm a dragon lord. No offence, but it would probably be too much for you to handle at that point." He finished, looking at Arthur.

"I agree, let's deal with one thing at a time."

And with that, they decided to renew their disguises before going to Gaius in order to let him know what to expect.

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A/N: Any suggestions as to how Gaius reacts?

Hope you all enjoyed it and please review!

-lolello


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I am on a roll! somehow I've managed to update every day so far, I hope it lasts :D Another slightly shorter chapter, but I've already got the next one planned out.

Enjoy!

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Chapter Three:

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The three of them were at in Gaius' chambers waiting for him to come back from his rounds when finally, they heard footsteps approaching.

"_Mer_lin! I told you to fetch me my meal almost an hour ago!"

"…I don't think that's Gaius." Merlin stated lamely, earning him identical expressions of '_you think?_' before the door opened to reveal a very angry looking Arthur.

"Did you fall on your head this morning or were you just born this forgetful." He continued, before noticing the men on either side of Merlin. "I'm sorry; I don't think we've met." He said, attempting to appear more kingly.

"We're friends of Merlin's… we knew him in Ealdor when he was younger." The older merlin stated, before the younger clarified.

"I was hoping they could stay several days, perhaps in a spare room in the castle?" He asked hopefully, using the full force of his puppy dog eyes.

"I suppose there should be no issue with that," Arthur said "Any friend of Merlin's is a friend of mine, and maybe in return you could tell me some embarrassing stories that I could use as blackmail," he joked. "Oh and Merlin, stop slacking and go and get me some food, I have to be at a meeting with the council soon and don't have much time." And with that he walked towards the door.

"Yes sire," he quipped, before muttering under his breath, "though you realise it would have been quicker for you to go to the kitchens yourself than coming here to fetch me," much to the amusement of their counterparts, to whom he shot a quick, apologetic glance before following Arthur back out of the room.

_'Oh well'_, he thought, _'I guess they'll have to explain it to Gaius without me.'_

Roughly ten minutes later, Gaius was returning from his duties, when he saw what appeared to be two strangers sitting at the bench in his workroom, talking quietly between themselves.

"Who are you?" He asked once he had shut the door behind him. "Were you after something?"

"Hello Gaius." Merlin began. "Believe it or not, you know us very well." He said, smiling warmly at his surrogate father.

"How so?" Gaius replied

"Don't think us insane, but we're from the future."

In typical Gaius fashion, an eyebrow was raised.

"Don't look at me like that! Why is it always the one eyebrow?" Merlin turned to Arthur, "Why never both?"

Arthur chuckled at his pouting expression, before turning back to Gaius.

"He's being honest. I'm Arthur, and that's Merlin."

_'And there goes the other eyebrow'_, they thought in unison.

"But how…" Gaius began in confusion.

"We're in disguise", said Merlin in a dramatic whisper.

He gathered the bottles from his robe, passed one to Arthur and they both took a quick swig of the potion, reverting back to their normal forms, grins plastered on their faces as Gaius watched in disbelief.

"I don't believe it!" He gawked, before promptly passing out.

"Gaius!"

They jumped forward in alarm, catching him before he could hit the ground and shuffling him over to his cot.

"…Perhaps we could have done that a bit differently" Arthur stated, earning him a glare in return.

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A/N: I'll try and get the next chapter up tomorrow :)

Hope you like it! Review please!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Here's the next chapter like I promised :) I don't know how long I'll manage to keep up these daily updates, but I'm thoroughly enjoying writing this so I hope you all like reading :D

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Chapter Four:

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Gaius woke to the sound of hushed voices.

"Do you think he'll wake up soon?"

"I hope so"

"Maybe younger you will come back before he wakes up, then he could explain _this_ without us being here so that we don't freak him out more"

"You're kidding right? You'll have me chasing after you for a while yet before you let me finish for the day."

"Did I really used to be such a slave driver?"

"Used to be?"

"Oh _ha ha_, seriously though, I wasn't that bad was I?"

"Arthur, until you muck out stables for yourself, you will never know the true horror of what I went through as your manservant."

Gaius heard the smile in his voice and opened one eye to quietly observe their interaction.

"Oh please! You used to do all your chores with magic!" was Arthur's indignant response.

"Yes, but you never knew that. Though I always knew the real reason you used to make me work long hours."

"Because you were incompetent?"

"Because you liked my company." Merlin stated smugly.

"That too." Arthur chuckled, an easy grin on his face as he shoved Merlin gently on the shoulder.

_'So this is Emrys and the Once and Future King,_' thought Gaius, both pleased and exasperated.

"If you two are quite finished, I think you have some explaining to do." He chastised, startling (payback) the other two out of their reverie.

"Gaius! You're awake!" they rushed over to him, helping him sit up before taking the seats by his bedside, both looking thoroughly apologetic.

"Honestly you two, what you put an old man through," he tutted, shaking his head. "Tell me, are you both well?"

"We're brilliant," replied Arthur, "As are you I might add," he smiled, thinking of the Gaius that was no doubt waiting for them back home. He had aged well, now retired, but still living in the castle, with frequent visits from them both.

Gaius smiled at them indulgently. "I'm glad to hear it, come and give an old man a hug and then you can tell me all about why you're here."

"Hmm, so you say that Arthur will find out about Merlin's magic soon, and that everyone's reactions could be different from your own experiences?"

"Exactly," Merlin replied, "I'm sure you understand that because I remember being in Merlin's shoes, I know that he will come to rely on all three of us greatly over the following number of days, not to mention that Arthur will also need all your support when he finds out, Gaius."

He paused, thinking over his words.

"I'm sure that Merlin's going to be experiencing mixed emotions over the next few days. When it happened to us… I felt guilty about betraying your trust, but also justified in why I'd lied for so long. I'll no doubt be feeling confused. I know I never betrayed you in terms of everything I did being meant for you, Arthur, but in my mind It will be a struggle coming to terms with the fact that I did the wrong thing by lying for so long but for the right reasons. I don't remember when I reached this point, but at some point he'll start wanting to give up. He won't be able to look to the future because he'll be so consumed by the present. That's why we're here. We're the physical embodiment of all they have yet to achieve, and as long as Merlin remembers that, they won't go wrong."

Arthur and Gaius nodded at this explanation.

Arthur put his hand on Merlin's shoulder and started his own interpretation of events.

"I could never come to hate Merlin, and though eventually, I knew why he did what he had to, I was too stubborn to move past it. To be honest, I think we were both as bad as each other when it came to some of the screaming matches, but you Gaius, I remember you patiently explaining all the things Merlin did for me when I was too stubborn to listen to him myself. That helped a lot. So see if you can get through that thick skull of mine when it comes to it, I know I'd appreciate it." He smiled at them both, before removing his hand from Merlin's shoulder and ruining the emotional moment with; "right, I think that's enough of us talking like girls, do you think we could find something to eat ourselves, I'm starving?"

Gaius huffed a laugh, "So I see you haven't changed that much."

Merlin chuckled. "He's only slightly less emotionally stunted than he used to be."

"Thanks" Arthur replied as he poked him in the ribs.

"Why don't you both tell me more about yourselves while I cook us up some food?" Gaius suggested.

"Brilliant," said Arthur, "I can tell you about the time my court sorcerer turned me purple."

The two time travellers were soon laughing over funny reminisces and informing Gaius of things to look forward to while eating chicken and potatoes, as Gaius watched them proudly, pleased with the possibility that everything would turn out okay.

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A/N: I'm thinking that next chapter we have more interaction between younger merlin, Gaius and the duo? I really love all the reviews I've received so far, so thanks to everyone who's commented, and hopefully keep it up :)


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I'm not too sure how I feel about this chapter, but here goes :)

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Chapter Five:

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Later that evening merlin walked through the door smelling of manure and looking thoroughly pathetic and sorry for himself.

Arthur greeted him with a sympathetic smile before laughing at his sullen expression, "I'm sorry for putting you through your paces, I'll tell you where I kept my journal if you want so that you can get some revenge, there's lots of mush in it, I think I admitted you're my best friend in it at least two times."

"Three times,' the older Merlin added, now laughing too at his younger self's startled expression while Gaius hid a grin behind his teacup.

"Who are you and what have you done with Arthur, I know you couldn't have changed that much." Merlin replied warily, flashing his eyes to remove the gunk from his person before stepping out of his jacket and practically collapsing in the seat beside Gaius, who slapped him lightly round the head for the 'unnecessary display of magic'.

"Well according to them, Arthurs going to find out soon anyway, what's the point in being cautious?" Merlin snapped back, apparently in a sour mood.

"Hey, none of that," Arthur said, taking Merlin's hand in his and gently explaining "If everything works out then I promise, soon enough you'll never have to hide your magic again." Arthur soothed, ignoring the incredulous look on Merlin's face, who was still adjusting to the fact that this Arthur knew about his magic (not to mention the open act of fondness that the current them hid beneath layers of banter).

Gaius offered Merlin his meal for the evening before suggesting he show the pair to their rooms for the evening.

Merlin and Arthur thanked Gaius for the food, and once again disguised, followed Merlin down several corridors until they reached a brightly lit room with a fireplace and two single beds. It was cosy, and larger than Gaius' chambers, but nowhere near as spectacular as their usual rooms.

"Thank you Merlin, we'll see you tomorrow." Arthur said, before Merlin left to return to his own room for the night.

They both took a seat at a small table opposite the fire place, and sat comfortably for a few minutes, relaxing in the silence.

"You know Merlin, if I remember correctly; it's going to happen tomorrow."

Merlin looked towards the fire; the flames making his eyes appear golden from the light.

"Yes… It is."

"Why did you say it would happen days from now?"

"As I said before, we don't want anything changing. Merlin won't expect it so soon."

"If things did play out differently… do you think there would be two different timelines… or would our memories simply change?"

"Honestly? I'm not sure how it will work… The fact is, I've dabbled with time before, stopping time, slowing it down or speeding it up, but I've never travelled to the past before. I always thought it too risky. I don't know what will happen." Merlin trailed off.

"I hope we don't lose everything we've built…" said Arthur quietly.

"Well," Merlin began, trying to lighten the mood. "We know it must have worked before, right? We're proof of that. There is more chance of this going right, than it failing. So long as everything stays the same…"

"Yes your right, of course. There's no point dwelling on what could go wrong. I suppose we'll do what we've always done, and wait for things to unfold."

Silently, Merlin agreed.

Back in his Gaius' chambers, Gaius watched Merlin pace up and down the room.

"Calm down, my boy." He said.

"I can't Gaius, don't you see, Arthur is going to find out about my Magic and he's going to be disgusted with me."

"Yes he will be mad, but I think you're underestimating him, Merlin. You've seen the future Arthur. He accepts your magic, and you and he are closer than ever. Those two have united Albion together."

"But that's just it, there's so much resting on this turning out well. It's just too much." His voice rose towards the end in distress.

Gaius could see how upset his ward was, and chose his next words carefully.

"I've never known you to be a coward Merlin. " At this, Merlin's shoulders stiffened. "We both knew he was going to find out someday." He said, making his way towards Merlin and gathering him in a hug.

"Yes… but despite imagining it countless times in my head… I never envisioned _'someday' _actually arriving."

"Hmm" Gaius hummed.

"And I never quite envisioned time travellers either" he chuckled, finally calming down a little.

"You and me both," agreed Gaius, "but then you've always had the ability to surprise me, Merlin." He smiled.

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A/N: So tell me what you think, next chapter will probably be released if not tomorrow then Tuesday.

Hope you enjoyed it :)


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry this chapter is slightly late, I've got ton's of deadlines this week, so this isn't currently at the top of my priorities list (though rest assured it's very close to the top -which is probably a bad thing... deadlines and all that.) Anyway, if all goes to plan, the reveal should be next chapter, which should be released in a couple days. Also, I just have to say thank you to all the readers, and especially thank you to everyone who has left a review. Some of them are simply amazing, and all of them are greatly appreciated, so thank you all.

Enjoy!

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Chapter Six:

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The following morning, Merlin awoke to the sound of voices coming from outside his room. He got walked out into the main area, and saw Gaius, Merlin and Arthur sat once more sat around the table, eating breakfast.

"Mornin'" He said around a yawn, before taking a seat in front of a bowl of breakfast that was presumably for him. As he was eating, he found it fascinating to watch this Merlin and Arthur's dynamic. They were so relaxed around each other, causing the other to laugh every few minutes. He felt his stomach tighten up with nerves. He wanted this. He longed for that same companionship with Arthur. But what would the cost be in order to get there?

"-lin? _Mer_lin!?" said Arthur, startling him out of his reverie.

"Huh? Sorry, what?" He stuttered.

"Where were you? I asked what you had planned for today." Arthur continued.

"Sorry, I was just thinking. Erm… just the usual I think, Armour to polish and prats to serve. Speaking of, we've got visitors from Escitir this afternoon I need to help Arthur prepare for and I'm already late." He said, rising from his seat.

"Says the warlock who can control time" Quipped Arthur.

"Ahh, but then I would miss out on a perfectly good opportunity to annoy you." Merlin quipped back.

"And dare I ask, which greeting will it be this time to wake me up?" asked Arthur.

"I recommend 'lazy daisy', he like's that one the most." said his counterpart sardonically, ignoring the woebegone look on Arthur's face.

"Lazy daisy it is." Merlin replied with a smirk, before returning to his room to get changed, missing '_the look'_ the two time travellers shared.

Gaius however, doesn't miss anything.

"I take it it's going to happen today." He said solemnly.

"Nope"

"Not at all"

"Whatever gave you that impression?"

Gaius frowned at their avoidance.

"Don't underestimate an old man. I can read you both like a book."

They shared another look before sighing deeply.

"He can't know." said Merlin.

"Obviously," Gaius drawled. "But that doesn't mean that I can't."

"You're right. He'll need you just as much as us." said Arthur

They paused as they heard Merlin's door once again opening. They said goodbye as he went off for his duties, all praying that destiny would work in their favour once more.

"When the nobles from Escitir arrive, we all need to be in the attending audience so that we can keep an eye on events." Merlin said.

"Agreed." said the King, before the duo informed Gaius of the events that would unfold in the following hours.

"Good morning Gwen." Merlin greeted as he walked into the kings and queens chambers after knocking gently on the door.

"Good morning Merlin," She replied, having been reading a book while sat in a chair in the corner of the room. She was also amused by Merlin's method of waking her husband, and was quite happy letting him sleep in for a little while longer before Merlin got there.

Merlin placed both their breakfast on the table before turning to the king who was still sound asleep.

Merlin took in a deep breath.

"Wake up lazy daisy!" shouted merlin, relishing the startled expression on the king's face, which was soon replaced by mild anger.

Merlin dodged various objects before hiding behind Gwen who was now openly laughing at Arthurs dishevelled look.

"Boys, settle down!" she giggled.

Ten minutes later Merlin was absently tidying around the room, updating Arthur on his kingly tasks for the day while Arthur and Gwen were polishing off the last of their breakfasts. He had decided to try and put his worries about the upcoming events to the back of his mind and just try and get on with each day at a time.

"And don't forget we have some of the noble families visiting from Escitir later," Merlin reminded.

"Yes of course, have you got their rooms all planned?" asked Arthur.

"They're going to be staying in the east wing. I've also arranged for some of the servants to help them unpack."

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked, freezing mid bite.

"Pardon?" replied Merlin, hesitantly.

"Don't give me that puzzled look. I've learnt to be wary when you act competent." Arthur clarified.

Merlin gave him a pointed look.

"Nothing's wrong, just a little bit stressed."

"As long as it's nothing serious," Arthur said with the slightest hint of concern. "Right, it's all settled then, thank you Merlin. In the meantime, you can wash my clothes and then polish my armour. I'll meet you back here before we go to greet the guests however."

* * *

A/N: So, please review. Anyone got any suggestions for how the reveal should go? (If it's not obvious, other than a general idea in my head, I don't have an actual plan and am just making this up as I go along.)

Until next time!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Finally the reveal. Sorry it took slightly longer to upload. I hope everyone likes it because I lost track of how many times I re-wrote it :)

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Seven:

* * *

Merlin and Arthur- once again disguised- joined Gaius In the audience of a small crowd, watching the young king greet the guests one by one beside his queen in the main hall, shaking their hands individually, while the younger Merlin watched on a few steps behind them.

This was it.

Towards the back of the crowd, the older Merlin was watching one of the servants who had been selected to serve the noble families. He was younger than the Merlin of this time.

If Merlin remembered correctly, Warren was his name, originally from Escitir. He had a grudge against one of the members of the families who had killed his older brother after an incident when he stole from them in order to keep his family fed.

But he had magic.

And he was out for vengeance.

He had aimed for the head of one of the families, but Merlin could see Arthur was going to get caught in the crossfire.

And so the younger he had acted.

* * *

From where he stood behind the King and Queen, Merlin saw a sudden movement from one of the castle servants.

"**Fleoge!**" The servant cried, sending one of the swords of the nearby guards flying in Arthur's direction as he greeted one of the guests.

Instinctively, Merlin ran forward in front of the king and raised his hand, eyes turning gold and needing no words to stop the sword mid-air. He caught the king's eye, noting the ashen look on his face and flinched, dropping the sword to the ground.

No one said a word.

Merlin could see warren shaking in fear out the corner of his eye. He felt like he was an observer, just a witness to the events that had the potential to seal his fate.

He was, however, the first to move.

He folded down to one knee before the king, wanting to show his loyalty but without the words to explain, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Arrest them both." said the king coldly.

Merlin stood slowly, meeting the eyes of his master once more, unable to look at everyone else present. His arms were grabbed on either side by two of the guards present. He yanked his arms back before straightening up and gesturing that he would follow the guards without a fight.

On his way out of the room- warren screaming for release behind him as he was forcibly dragged away- he locked eyes with their future counterparts and Gaius, who like him, had tears in his eyes.

_Well, _he thought, _I guess this is it. _

* * *

As they watched the events unfold, Merlin felt Arthur tense beside him.

He caught him by the wrist as he watched him take a step forward.

"We_ can't_ interfere." He said lowly.

"_Damn it_ Merlin! I can't watch this! We both know how I react!"

"Yes, we do," he said, "which is why you must think before you act so hastily. Remember, it gets worse before it gets better, but it will get better, so long as we don't interfere." he repeated.

"But was it really worth going through all that!?" Arthur stressed, thinking back to that time. "We could stop this before it starts!"

"_No_." he said sternly, with all the power of Emrys behind that statement, followed with an apologetic look.

As Merlin was following the guards out the room towards the dungeon, they caught his eye and saw both worry and determination.

_It's begun_, he thought.

* * *

A/N: So, what did people think? I was aiming for BAMF Merlin, but didn't want it to be too overly dramatic. Please review, the next chapter should be up in a couple days :)


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: So here's another chapter out today since the last one was so short. Warning for some violence and Merlin whump.

Hope you like it :)

* * *

Chapter Eight:

* * *

Arthur felt numb.

_'Was he dreaming? No. No, this is real.'_

_'Not him. Not the person who he thought had been his best friend for years.'_

_'Please don't let him be just another name to add to the list of people who have betrayed me.'_

**_'Mer_**lin's_ a __**sorcerer**__. But why? Why on earth would Merlin, of all people, choose to learn magic; practically the embodiment of evil.'_

Of all the chaotic thoughts running through his head though, one in particular stood out.

_'Has he been deceiving me this __**whole**__ time?'_

He thought of the last time he felt this kind of betrayal.

_'Morgana.'_

_'Could they be working together?'_

'_No. Even Merlin wouldn't stoop so low. Or would he?_ _After all_,' he thought,_ 'I don't know him at all.' _

Of all the feelings he was experiencing however, he began to ignore them all in favour of the brutal anger that had swept through his veins.

**_'I could kill him.'_**

* * *

The others in the hall were astonished.

The silence had been replaced with hectic conversations filled with gossip and disbelief.

Gwen was silently crying, devastated more so at the fact that Merlin felt the need to hide, wishing that he had confided in them sooner.

She had fewer reservations about magic than Arthur. She didn't trust it, but she trusted Merlin, and she hoped that Arthur would feel the same way. She could foresee her husband's reaction to the news and vowed to be there for the both of them. She wouldn't let Arthur act rashly.

* * *

"Get out" The king said. The people could see the frayed state of the king, and rushed to follow his order, wanting to show their support in giving him some privacy. The queen would obviously stay, and none of the Knights of the Round Table were present, having been on a mission away from the citadel for a few days. Though the way that gossip spread, they would undoubtedly find out soon.

As Gaius and the duo turned to follow the others out of the room, hoping to find Merlin, Arthur stopped them.

"Wait." He said, walking in front of them to stop the three of them from leaving.

"Did you know?" He asked.

"Yes my lord." Gaius replied confidently. The only person he was worried for was Merlin, not himself.

"And you didn't think to tell me?" He said furiously.

"You didn't need to know." Gaius replied hesitantly.

"DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW!?" Arthur thundered, "I AM THE KING, IT IS MY RIGHT TO KNOW!"

"It was not my secret to tell." Gaius said.

"RIGHT!" Arthur yelled in frustration, turning hastily and marching out the door in a frenzy, the others following in concern.

They followed him down the corridors towards the dungeons, down the steps and past the guards, until they came across Merlin's cell.

* * *

Merlin had been shoved inside, the cell locked behind him as he sprawled towards the ground.

He could easily escape… he was Emrys... he could open a flimsy lock…

Merlin however, was not the sort to give up without a fight, and currently his best friends' faith in him was on the line. So… he would stay put.

He had huddled himself into the corner, looking the very epitome of a kicked puppy, when he heard multiple footsteps approaching.

"Arthur!" He said warily, standing up as he opened the lock to enter the cell.

Once the door was open, Arthur rushed forwards, causing him to stumble back into the wall, and grabbed him by the collar, pinning him.

"WHY, MERLIN!? Why would you betray me like this!?" He spat furiously.

Merlin struggled under him, trying to gain his breath back and refusing to use his magic in defence.

"Arthur please, please listen to me, I use my magic to protect-"

The swing, he did not see coming.

He felt the blow before he really registered the shock and pain of it.

Arthur's fist was still clenched tightly from where he had struck him across the face in anger.

If he hadn't just been punched, Merlin would have probably found the look of shock on Arthurs own face quite comical, but as it happens, being punched in the face sort of takes the laughter out of everything.

Arthur looked shocked for a second at his own actions, the thought of having just punched_ Mer_lin, clearly an idea his brain could not compute. The thought of having punched a _sorcerer _however…

The look of shock soon turned into a look of scorn towards Merlin, who was now huddled on the floor looking broken, his hand resting protectively over his cheek as tears streamed down his face.

Arthur turned around and walked out.

* * *

A/N: Muwahahaha! Yes, I really am that evil ;)

So, is that the sort of reaction you were all hoping for? I wondered if Arthur had acted slightly OOC, but considering the first time he met Merlin he attacked him with a mace... not to mention the fact that when he found out he was on his death bed... something tells me that had he been able to walk, he would have tried to kick Merlin's arse. So yeah, there you have it, next chapter ASAP!

Review Please :D


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hiya, so I loved the reviews for the last couple chapters, everyone seems to have liked Arthurs reaction, which is fab. Here's another chapter :D Also, I was re-reading some of the earlier chapters last night, and found some glaringly obvious mistakes in terms of punctuation etc. So, I'm gonna try and proof read them more than I have, since I usually just spare it a quick glance when it's finished before posting.

Anyway, hope you all like this chapter, lots of bromance.

* * *

Chapter Nine:

* * *

Gwen watched in shock as Arthur walked out the room.

"…Merlin" she began, kneeling down next to Gaius, who- ever the physician- had started looking over Merlin's wound; Merlin who was still hunched over like a frightened animal.

"It's okay Gwen… I'm so sorry," he sobbed.

"Hush," she replied gently, "we'll talk about it later, you concentrate on getting fixed up by Gaius, while I go and check on Arthur." she noticed his flinch at Arthurs name, pity welling up inside her, before she gently kissed him on the forehead and followed Arthur out the room.

* * *

The future Arthur and Merlin had acted as spectators during the whole debacle, standing outside the cell, still disguised, looking in.

Merlin watched Arthur carefully.

Arthur looked deeply disturbed at what had just happened, a frown marring his features and feeling utterly disgusted with himself. He himself had also flinched when the younger him had struck Merlin, before turning his gaze towards the floor in shame.

The older Merlin rested a hand on his shoulder in comfort, offering a quite reassurance that _they_ were fine.

The other _them_ however… they were nowhere near.

"I'm sorry" Arthur whispered, his voice shook.

"Hey," Merlin replied softly, "you don't get to go through the whole guilt thing again, okay? I think once was enough."

"Really though…" Arthur said, dismissing Merlin's attempt to cheer him up, "I was such an idiot."

"Yes, you were," Merlin agreed without hesitation. "As was I." he added, grinning at Arthur's slight glare before becoming serious once more. "We forgave each other a long time ago, Arthur, please don't worry about it, you know I don't hold any grudges."

Arthur huffed, clearly still enriched with self-loathing, watching the younger Merlin with sadness in his eyes as Gaius fixed him up.

"You might be fine, but he isn't." Arthur spoke gently, before walking slowly towards merlin and lowering himself to the floor beside his friend.

"I'm sorry," He said earnestly, meeting this Merlin in the eye apologetically.

"You didn't deserve that." he continued, moving his hand to merlin's shoulder and cursing inwardly when he flinched once more.

"I was an ass," he added, earning himself a watery chuckle.

"A giant prat," He continued, "and if you can ever find it in your heart to forgive me, Merlin, then I will truly try and make it up to you for the rest of my life."

The older Merlin watched on proudly, as Arthur moved to gently embrace Merlin in a one sided hug.

_This was his king, and he would follow him to the ends of the Earth._

The younger merlin slowly relaxed, resting his head on Arthurs shoulder when Gaius had finally finished his examination.

"Well my boy," Gaius directed at Merlin, also feeling touched at the scene before him, "there's nothing a little time won't fix, but we can certainly find you something for the pain as soon as we get back to my chambers."

"Gaius… I'm arrested on order of the king; I don't think that's grounds for leaving." Merlin replied, still saddened, but now slightly bemused and feeling a little better thanks to Arthur's kind words.

"Honestly Merlin," Arthur joked, finally perking up somewhat, "I may not look like myself, but try to remember that I am also the king, and I'm ordering you to follow us. There's no way I'm making you stay in this dingy cell a single minute more."

He rose off the ground and offered his hand for Merlin to take, helping him off the floor as the older Merlin also helped Gaius rise.

"Come on," Arthur said, walking out the cell with the others following behind, Merlin's hand still in his.

"Hey!" The guards shouted at them when they saw who was leaving, raising their swords. But with a gesture from Arthur to his court sorcerer, and a flick of the wrist from Emrys, the guards were soon unconscious, and they continued out the room without a backwards glance.

* * *

A/N: Any good? Review please, lots and lots. They can only help me improve :)


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait for this update, however, it's safe to say that the story should be updated fairly regularly again because today I've finished my first term at uni and so should have lot's of free time to write over chirstmas :D

One thing I am very disappointed about however, is that other than a few reviews on the day it was posted, I have had no reviews since chapter 9, and so my goal is to get to at least 50 after this chapter, so if you think it's good, please, please, please help me achieve that by reviewing!

This chapter is a long one to make up for the long wait. Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Ten:

* * *

Arthur was pacing in his chambers.

He felt like he had too much energy. His hand ached and his thoughts were racing.

He had just hit _Merlin_.

He had just hit a sorcerer.

He felt so conflicted. His mind was telling him he shouldn't be feeling guilty for having committed such an act, after all, Merlin deserved it.

His heart on the other hand…

He felt like he could vomit.

All he could think about was the sick crunch he felt beneath his hand as he struck.

He had to bury it. Merlin had _lied_ to him. He was _not_ who he said he was. They were _not_ friends. _He_ was _nothing_.

_'He saved your life.'_ A voice in the back of his head said.

He heard the door open.

"Arthur, are you alright?" Gwen asked.

She could see the wild look in his eye and her heart reached out to him.

She pulled him over to the bed and embraced him, pulling his head down to rest on her shoulder.

"I hit him," he whispered, "he lied to me."

"I know he did," she agreed softly, "but he also saved your life."

"It doesn't make up for the deceit." He said, his voice hardening slightly.

"No, you're right, but maybe we should hear him out, and see what he has to say for himself." She urged.

"I can't even look at him right now." He replied vehemently, venom lacing his voice.

"Okay," she said, "you don't have to do anything, just think about it."

He nodded slightly, relieved that she was letting it go.

Deep down he thought that no matter what merlin had to say, he would never forgive him.

It hurt too much.

* * *

"Here we are," Arthur said, helping Merlin down to the seat in Gaius' chambers.

"Thank you." Merlin replied gently, watching as Gaius searched for a pain remedy that he could take.

"Is there anything else you can do to reduce the swelling?" Arthur asked hopefully after Gaius came back with a fowl tasting gunky looking potion.

"Urgh.." Merlin grimaced at the smell before holding his nose and downing it, "Please nothing else, I think I'll throw up otherwise."

"I would suggest using magic to heal it," Arthur began, "If I didn't know that it would just make the younger me angrier by the blatant display of magic."

The mention of Arthur seemed to make Merlin curl into himself a little, causing Arthur to mentally admonish himself.

"How about I make us some hot drinks to calm us down?" Gaius suggested, trying to change the topic.

"Please, that sounds wonderful." Merlin whispered, while the older merlin followed Gaius in order to help prepare them.

Soon enough they were all settled into a comfortable atmosphere, sat around the table with their drinks and exchanging few words, trying to ignore the solemn mood.

Suddenly the door opened, causing them to jump.

"Gaius, I need to speak with yo-"

It was Arthur, who did not look the slightest bit impressed with the appearance of his former manservant who was supposed to be in the dungeons.

He glared darkly at Merlin (who at this point looked like a startled rabbit) his eyes never leaving his, ignoring the other occupants in the room while he growled: "Explain!"

"My lord," Gaius began softly, "I had to treat him for the wound."

For a second it appeared Arthur looked almost contrite, however his expression was soon one of disgust.

"Just make sure you stay where I don't have to look at you." He spat out venomously before turning round and storming out the room, cloak billowing behind him.

After a few seconds of silent tears from merlin and solemn looks all around, Arthur broke the silence.

"…He's a bit of a bastard really, isn't he?" He said thoughtfully, as if mentioning the weather, causing the others to laugh out loud in disbelief at his proclamation despite the situation.

* * *

After two days of throwing things and sulking. Arthur had accepted the fact that Merlin would not be residing in the dungeon again anytime soon, and so decided to send for Gaius to come to his own chambers in order for some sort of explanation.

He was loath to find him himself in case Merlin was with him, and that was something he was just not willing to face any time soon (or ever if it were up to him).

"You called for me my lord?" Gaius asked as he entered, after knocking gently on the door.

"I need you to tell me how long he's had magic." Arthur answered, frustrated. He had been hoping against hope that Magic was a fairly new development with Merlin, and that maybe that would explain why he hadn't told him sooner, but from the look on Gaius' face he knew that wasn't the case.

"He was born with it, sire." Gaius answered.

After a second of trying to absorb this new information, Arthur's anger increased. "Are you lying to me?" He asked, stepping towards him threateningly.

Gaius merely responded with his typical eyebrow which this time conveyed a look of patience towards a tantrum from a five year old.

"What would be the point in such a thing now sire? I can try and answer most of your questions, but some things you will have to ask Merlin yourself as it is not my place to tell you certain information… when you're ready, of course." He added gently, trying to placate Arthur with a calming voice.

Arthur looked annoyed, but deflated a little, gesturing to the table in the centre of the room so that Gaius could tell him more.

* * *

The following day, After Gaius had explained in more detail why Merlin had come to Camelot, Merlin's destiny and how Merlin had used his magic to protect Arthur over the years (omitting the part with the dragon of course). Arthur was sat in his bed, staring at the ceiling and contemplating all that he now knew. He realised now that it wasn't mainly the magic that upset him. Yes, he had slowly come to realise that magic was neither good nor bad, and he was slowly coming to terms with that, but what he felt he could never forgive was the deception. Tying to merge together the loyal, clumsy, big-eared Merlin he knew, with the powerful legend that was Emrys? He just couldn't do it. And he didn't particularly want to.

The fact was; while _highly_ unlikely, regardless of their destiny, Emrys had the potential to be a threat to his kingdom. No one man should have the ability to wield that much power, and until he learnt to trust Merlin again, he would always feel the need to look over his shoulder. He had already lied once about who he was, who's to say he would never lie again?

Magic alone might not corrupt… but people could easily be corrupted by many other things, and he had to learn about this new side to Merlin before he could accept him. But first he had to forgive him, and he just wasn't ready yet, and doubted he would be for a while.

If there was one thing Arthur was good at, it was holding a grudge.

* * *

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! See you next time and please review :D


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: So this was written days ago and for some reason I forgot to post it :/ sorry guys, I blame Christmas and all its distractions :)

Enjoy :D

* * *

Chapter Eleven:

* * *

Merlin knocked politely on the king chambers three times.

"Enter," came a gruff reply.

Merlin hesitantly turned the handle and opened the door, taking just one step in before the door was yanked open roughly from the other side.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Arthur asked with a scowl, teeth clenched in anger.

"I wanted to speak with you." Merlin replied quietly.

"Well I don't to speak with you!" Arthur replied turning and stalking back into the room, Merlin following slowly after him.

"Please, Arthur… I know I upset yo-"

"UPSET ME!? _UPSET ME_!? Merlin, you were my _best_ friend, you've been lying to me for years about who you are, and you think I'm just a little upset? I am_ furious_ with you!" Arthur replied, glaring at Merlin all the while.

"What can I do to make it up to you?" Merlin pleaded, taking a step towards his friend.

"Honestly, at the moment there isn't a damn thing you can do other than _leave me alone_. I need to come to terms with this Merlin, this ugly truth that after everything we've been through, I don't know you at all." Arthur said, hurt lacing his voice.

"Arthur, please… that's just not true… just because you didn't know about my magic, doesn't mean you don't know who I am. I'm the same as I've always been, the only things that's changed is the fact that I have magic!"

"Merlin, you don't understand… you broke my trust! How do I know that you are who you say you are, when before now, you had never shown me your true self? You hid from me, and what's worse, you thought I would burn you if I knew the truth! How could we have truly been friends when you never trusted me? And yet you expect me to trust you in return? How do I know you won't change and use your magic against me? How do you expect me to believe that the_ only_ reason why we're even friends to begin with, isn't because you used me to bring magic back to the land?" Arthur said, one of his biggest fears coming to the surface.

"Arthur…" Merlin said gently, "you must know that that was never the case. I am your friend because I choose to be, not because of some destiny. I know you don't trust me, and I know you don't trust my magic just yet… but please believe that I'll find a way to show you that my magic is meant for you, If there is one thing that I was always honest about, it's that our friendship means more to me than _anything_" Merlin finished sadly, his eyes never leaving Arthurs.

Arthur stared at him before closing his eyes and shaking his head gently.  
"Get out." He said softly, "Please Merlin, just leave me alone and let me deal with this in my own time. I _can't_… you _should have told me_! Just… _please_ leave." He finished lamely, sinking down into the nearest chair and resting his head in his hands when he heard footsteps followed by the door closing.

* * *

The Once and future king sighed, as he entered Gaius' chambers and found the younger merlin crying soundlessly on the steps that were leading up to his room.

He crouched down before him, startling him out of his reverie and locked eyes with him for a few seconds before speaking.

"Honestly, Emrys," He began, using his druidic name to acknowledge the fact that this version of him accepted all of him. "The legends describe you as the most powerful… the bravest to walk among us. But they always seem to forget one thing."

"What's that?" Merlin replied, confusion written on his face.

"Your heart," Arthur replied softly. "The goodness within you. Don't question yourself Merlin. You and I both know that you have always tried your best to do the right thing. No matter what the idiot version of me says, I trust you. Magic's neither good nor bad, it just is. You will never change Merlin, you'll always do what's right, and sooner or later, I will come to understand that everything you did was for the best. You never hid yourself from me, you just hid what you could do because you wanted nothing to ever come between us… but I know that it killed you a little bit each time you felt like you had to lie, and that was my fault."

Merlin watched him for a moment, searching his face for his sincerity, a small smile eventually lighting up his face.

"How can you be so sure that everything will work out?" he asked hesitantly.

"Because it's us." Arthur scoffed, as if it were obvious. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go talk to someone." He ruffled Merlin's hair before turning and walking out the room.

* * *

A/N: So, hope you all enjoyed it, and since I probably won't post anything between now and Christmas, MERRY CHRISTMAS! There should hopefully be a chapter up before new years ;) Also, is everyone looking forward to Doctor Who and Sherlock?

Please Review, hitting 50 would be a fab Christmas present ;)


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Hi everyone, Happy New Year! 2013 Has been brilliant, and I wish everyone the best for 2014 xx This is the last chapter I will post in 2013, so hopefully it's a good one :D

Please enjoy and review!

* * *

Chapter Twelve:

* * *

Merlin was startled from his thoughts roughly five minutes after his future king left by a knock on the door.

Curious, he stood to open it, his mind jumping when he saw who was on the other side.

"Gwaine!" Merlin said, worried by the hurt expression on his friends face. After all the commotion over the last few days, he had completely forgotten the fact that the knights would have returned, and therefore would have heard about his secret.

"Why didn't I know about your magic?" he demanded quietly, the most serious merlin had ever seen him in all the time he'd known him.

"Gwaine… I am so, so sorry. No one knew, not even Arthur." Merlin looked defeated. He didn't want to lose yet another friend.

Gwaine, able to read his friends expression, decided to focus on Merlin and worry about himself later.

"Do you have any idea how much gold we could have saved on ale, my friend, had you told me?" Gwaine joked, trying to lighten the mood. He knew Merlin hadn't meant to hurt him, and could only imagine the damage control Merlin was currently undergoing with Arthur, he couldn't add to his friends burden. He would just have to get Merlin to make up for hiding the truth from him in more productive ways… like requesting a never ending glass of alcohol.

Merlin grinned, relief clear on his features. He knew Gwaine was still upset, but was thankful that Gwaine had made it clear that he hadn't lost his friendship.

"How are you holding up?" He asked, moving to gather Merlin in a bear hug.

"Not good." Merlin replied, his voice muffled, his face hidden in his friends shoulder.

"Wanna come and see the rest of the knights? They're all gathered around the round table, it might give you a chance to explain a few things?" Gwaine asked gently, releasing Merlin.

Merlin hesitated, starting to feel distress at the mere thought of facing more of his friends that he had deceived, which Gwaine must have noticed.

"Look, it would be better to clear the air sooner rather than later, I'll be there to help… we just want to understand things from your point of view, no one's angry."

Gwaine watched Merlin's internal debate play out on his features. He saw the moment Merlin's determination pulled through, never the coward.

"Alright," He agreed, before following Gwaine out the room towards the great hall.

* * *

Arthur had just returned to his chambers when a low voice startled him from in the corner of the room.

"You're an idiot."

"What are you doing here?" He asked, startled, hand reaching for the hilt of his sword. Unbeknownst to him, the voice belonged to his future self, still currently in disguise as Merlin's guest, who was leant back against the wall, face concealed in shadow.

"You're so proud, so arrogant and ignorant… and you can't even see it." The voice said with barely concealed fury.

"Get out, before I call the guards to escort you out of Camelot." Arthur replied angrily.

"No. you will listen to me. And you will listen now," came the swift command.

* * *

Elsewhere, Merlin and Gaius, returning from the library, were discussing recent events. Gaius suddenly stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening.

Merlin, what happened to your disguise?

"Huh?"

"your disguise? You've just changed back..."

"There must be some kind of time limit on the potion…" Merlin said, distracted "It's alright, I can just take some more." he said, reaching inside his pocket.

"My boy, I think you're missing the obvious."

Merlin looked at him expectantly.

"Arthur."

Merlin froze.

"Oh hell!" He exclaimed, before drinking some of the potion and running down the hall to find Arthur.

* * *

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Arthur said, taking a threatening step forward.

"I'm the person who's going to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life."

"And what's that then?" Arthur replied, teeth gritted together.

"Abandoning the best friend you've ever had, over some petty secret, that in a few years' time, you won't even give a damn about." came the truthful answer.

"you don't know a thing about me!" The young king said, bitterness creeping into his tone.

"You think?" The once and future king asked, stepping forward out of the shadow.

Arthur took a step backwards in fear and then froze.

"That's not possible…" his voice shook.

The future king lifted his hand to his face in surprise, cursing Merlin under his breath.

"What trickery is this!?" Arthur exclaimed.

"He's you…" A voice drifted in from the doorway. "…the future you."

Arthur froze, the pieces slowly clicking together in his head.

"But then you're-!"

"Merlin." The future king finished gently.

"Hello Arthur," said Merlin before entering the room fully.

* * *

A/N: hope you all enjoyed it! I love it when the plot bunnies pop-up! Happy New Year and I hope you all had a good Christmas! Please leave reviews about what you think :D


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